Kerekes is a Hungarian-language occupational surname, derived from the Hungarian word kerék meaning "wheel," with the suffix -es indicating a person associated with that object. Thus, Kerekes refers to a wheelwright or maker of wheels. The literal meaning is "wheel-maker" or "one who works with wheels."
The name is one of a class of Hungarian metonymic occupational surnames that describe a profession directly from the material or tool involved. The root kerék itself is from kerek (meaning "round"), emphasizing the circular nature of the wheel. While the dominant origin relates to the trade of wheelwright, some sources propose an alternative origin: the name might have been given to someone who lived on top of a hill or mountain, playing on the idea of "round" as in a rounded summit. However, the occupational interpretation is more widely supported.
As an occupational surname common in Hungary and among Hungarian diaspora communities (such as in Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine), Kerekes has several phonetic transcriptions. These include Kerekeš (Croatian or Serbian rendering), Kerekesh, Chiricheș (Romanian adaptation), Kerkeshi, or the Hebrew קרקש. The surname is typical in Transylvania, a historic region where Hungarian and Romanian populations mixed.
Notable Bearers
Notables with the surname span various fields, especially sports and the arts. In Hungarian football, one finds Attila Kerekes (born 1954) and Zsombor Kerekes (born 1973); also track athlete Greta Kerekes (born 1992). On the international scene, Ljubomir Kerekeš is a prominent Croatian actor and athlete shot putter; Vica Kerekes (Slovak actress); Peter Kerekes and Katarína Kerekesová are Slovak film directors. Éva Kerekes and other regional representatives join the group's richness.
- Meaning: Occupational name for a wheel-maker; also possibly a topographical name for a person living on a hill
- Language/Culture: Hungarian
- Variants: Kerekeš, Kerekesh, Chiricheș, Kerkeshi, קרקש
- Usage Regions: Hungary and neighboring countries (Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Ukraine)
Sources: Wikipedia — Kerekes